Door mounting for safes



' May 16,1933. c, SHULTE 1,909,849

DOOR MOUNTING FOR SAFES Filed March'l'i, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum 23 3' t -26 /5Z Jig 46 42 59.

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c; SHULTE 1,909,849

DOOR MOUNTING FOR SAFES Filed March 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 aim 74 ll W 73 gwumtob Charles Shall/11 DOOR MOUNTING FOR SAFES Filed March 1'7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I r 4e 35 49 i I I g 1 l I V I I Will.

4 I gwwmtoz Z v Charles 5111111130 Patented May 16, 1933 muran STATES Parent oFFIcE V CHARLES SHULTE, or MAEIETTA, onro, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON BAND Inc, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK noon MOUNTING non SAFES Application filed. March 17, 1931.

This invention relates to the construction of safes and it has particular reference to an improved means for mounting a safe door.

N here the doors of a safe are merely hinged to one or both of the front corners of the safe space must he provided for the accommodation of the doors when they are standing open. This results in a considerable waste of floor space and in lowered efficiency due to extra motion required in gaining access to the contents of such afes. 'In view of these disadvantages it has been found highly desirable to mount safe doors in such a way that in opening, they may be swung into a plane perpendicular to the front of the safe and subsequently slid edgewise 1nto a position parallel to and co-terminous with the side of the safe.

In mounting doors in this manner a considerable problem is encounteredpwmg to the weight of the door and its cantilever suspension. It is essential to provide a mounting which will permit the door to be operated with a minimum of physical exertion and which is of sufficiently sturdy and rigid construction to carry the door and to bring it into accurate register with the door frame when the door is brought to a closed position.

The present inventi on provides means for mounting safe doors in such a way that these problems are successfully solved. Further, it comprehends means for maintaining the door in an accurate vertical position at all times to eliminate the tendency of the door to bind when it is being moved into and out of its position at the side of the safe. Novel means are provided for adjusting the door mounting mechanism both for the purpose of facilitating commercial production and to insure smooth operation of'the finished product.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a safe embodying the improved door mountingmeans. A part of one of the doors has been broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the safe.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal'cross section on the line 38 of Fig. 2.

Serial No. 523,332.

Fig.- 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, showing the adjustable ball bearing link connections.

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective of the doorcarrying roller bearing. 7

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 2 sh owing the lower door-guiding rollers.

Fig. 7 is a detailed horizontal cross section of the lower rear adjustable link connection.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the upper rear link connection.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the forward adjustablesuspension of the doorcarrying track.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross section on the line 1010 of Fig. 8 showing the retaining latch. 7

An embodiment of the principles of the invention is shown in combination with a wellknown type of safe 11 having a pair of doors 12 and 13 adapted to be moved into and out of a closing position in the open front side of the safe. The invention may, of course, be applied to a safe having a single door or in any other convenient and practicable arrangement. i

The doors shown in the present instance are grooved at their edges to cooperate with complementary grooves in the door frame, for more completely sealing the interior of the safe against thermal conditions prevailing on the outside, in a manner which is common in devices of this character. Each of the doors 12 and 13 is pivotally secured, adjacent its outer vertical edge, to a vfiat plate 14 of substantially the same height as the doorhouses the door supporting and controlling have been provided which extend horizontally along the upper and lower, front and rear horizontal edges of the safe body and which project laterally from both sides of the safe to the outer limit of the door receiving compartment 16 to provide means upon which the door supporting mechanism may be mounted.

An upper track member 22 extends between and is adjustably supported by the projecting ends of the upper angle members 17 and 19in a position parallel to and spaced from the side of the safe body at each side thereof. The track member 22 is retained against endwise movement by the depending flanges of the angles 17 and 19 and is held against sidewise movement by inwardly extending angular portions 23, Fig. 5, struck from the depending flanges of the angle members 17 and 19 at each side of the track member 22.

- The track member is adapted to be adjusted vertically by a pair of screws 24 and 25 seating in apertures provided therefor in the angle members 17 and 19 respectively and extending downwardly to engage threaded openings in the track member. Each of the screws is provided with a lock nut 26 for maintaining the adjusted position of the track member.

A'vertical door supporting post member 27 of angular cross section, depends from the track member 22 and is adapted to be supported thereby for movement between the front and rear extremity of the track member. The means for movably engaging the door supporting post 27 and the track 22 is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and includes a plate 28 spaced laterally from the upper end of the post 27 by a pin 29 and a bolt 31 provided with a nut 32. A ball bearing roller 33 is carried by the bolt 31 between the post 27 and the plate 28 and permits the post to be moved along the track 22 with a minimum of friction. The post 27 and the plate 28 cooperate with the sides of the track member to guide the post 27 against lateral displacement.

An elongated U-shaped channel member 34 extends between the projecting ends of the lower angle members 18 and 21 and one of the flanges 35 thereof cooperates with a slot 36 formed in the lower end of the post 27 to guide the lower end of the post against lateral displacement. The forward face, 37, of the post 27 carries a plurality of hinges 38 which are in turn secured to the rear face of the plate 14, Fig. 3.

This construction makes it possible, after the door has been opened, to pivot the plate 14 about the post 27 until both the door and the plate 14 lie in a plane parallel to the side of the safe when they may be moved rearwardly into a housed position against the side of the safe where they will not'interfere with free access to the contents of the wise be advantageously utilized,

The weight of the door, after its removal from the door frame, is borne by the post 27 and would normally tend to swing the post rearwardly about its point of suspension. To counteract this thrust and to maintain the vertical position of the post at all times a combination of links is provided to connect the post 27 with a vertical angle member 39 disposed atthe rear of the door receiving compartment and secured at its upper and lower ends respectively to the extensions of the horizontal angle members 19 and 21.

Tliis combination of links is designed to maintain parallelism between the post 27 and the member 39 and comprises upper and lower links, 41 and 42 respectively, pivotally connected to the post 27 and upper and lower link members 43 and 44 respectively pivotally connected to the member 39. The upper links 41 and 43 are pivotally connected at their free ends at a point midway between the post 27 and the member 39.

Like connection is established between the links 42 and 44 and a vertical link 45 extends between the central pivotal connections of both pairs of links, and maintains a spacing therebetween equivalent to the vertical spacing ofthe outer ends of the links on the post 27 and on the member 39. To minimize the friction in the mechanism due to the weight of the door and to insure smooth operation pivot pins 46 connecting the links 43 and 44 to the post 27 are provided with ball bearings 47, Fig. 4. In a similar manner each of the central pivotal pins 48 is provided with a pair of ball bearings 49 and 51 for mounting the pairs of links thereon, also as shown in Figure 4.

The pivotal connection of the links 43 and 44 with the member 39 are made adjustable in order that absolute alignment of the various parts may be expeditiously attained in the original assembly and for the purpose of compensatin for any variations which may later develop due to wear, strain, or other cause. The pivotal connection of the upper link 43 is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 8 as comprising a bolt 52, seated in a ball bearing 53 carried by the link 43, and extending in wardly through a horizontally elongated slot 54 in the angle member 39 and through a collar 55. The bolt 52 is threaded at its inner end to receive a nut 56. A headed screw 57 extends through an aperture in the other flange of the angle member 39 at the right angles to the pivot bolt 52 and engages a threaded opening in the periphery of the collar 55. Turning the screw 57 in one direction draws the collar and, through it, the pivot bolt52 toward the rear extremity of the slot 54. Turning the screw 57 in the opposite direction allows the weight of the door and associated parts to pull the pivot bolt 52 toward the forward extremity of the slot 54. l

The adjustable pivotal connection of the lower link 4:4: with the angle member 39 shown in detail in Fig. 7 comprises a pivot bolt 58, similar to the pivot bolt 52 of the upper connection, which seats in a ball bearing 59 carried by the link 44 and extends inwardly through an elongated slot 61 in the angle member 39, through a collar 62 and into threaded engagement with a nut 63. A setscrew 64: threadedly engages the other flange of the angle member 39 and abuts the periphery of the collar 62. Turning the setscrew 64- in one direction moves the pivot bolt 58 toward the forward extremity of the slot 61 and turning the set-screw 64 in the opposite direction allows the thrust occasioned by the weight'of the door to move the pivot bolt 58 toward the rear extremity of the slot 61.

It has been found desirable to provide means for preventing pivotal movement of the plate 14 with relation to the post 27 until the door has been swung to a position completely out of contact with the door frame. To insure this order of operation a latch has been provided which may be manually released after the door has been sufficiently opened. A latch pin 65, Figs. 3 and 10, is carried by the post 27 and extends inwardly therefrom toward the side of the safe body. A latch 66 is pivotally carried by a bearing block 67 through the medium of a pin 68 and terminates outwardly in a hook 69 adapted to engage the latch pin 65. A fiat spring 71 is conveniently secured to the latch 66 and engages the plate 14 to urge the hook 69 into engagement with the pin 65. A headed releasing pin 72 projects outwardly through an aperture in the plate 14 and at its inner end engages an upward extension on the latch 66. The latch is released by depressing the projecting portion of the pin 72 and then permits the plate 14L to swing about the hinges 38 for receding movement into the door receiving compartment 6.

As an auxiliary support for the weight of the door I provide, adjacent the bottom of the structure a ball bearing roller 73, Fig. 6, positioned in the forward end of the lower channel member 34 and secured to one of the vertical flanges thereof by a bolt 74. This roller is adapted to bear the weight of the door when it is moved into housed posit-ion and thereby relieve the link mechanism and the post and track assembly.

A ball bearing roller 75 is mounted toward the inner end of the extending portion of the angle member 18 on a supporting block 76 for rotation about a vertical axis; Another ball bearing roller 77 is carried by the outer flange of the channel member 34 through the medium of an angular bracket member 78, also for rotation about a vertical axls.

These rollers are so arranged that the lower portion of the door indicated in broken lines in Fig. 6, will be guided therebetween in its movement on the roller 7 3, into and out of its compartment, j

It will be understood that the foregoing constitutes a description of one embodiment of the underlying principles ofthe present invention. 7 v

What is claimed is:

1. In a safe having an opening in oneface thereof, track means mounted on a wall of the safe adjacent to said face, post means, means mounting said post means for movement on the track means, a door adapted to close the opening in said face, means mounting said door for hinging movement on said post for movement into sealing en gagement with the opening in the face of the safe, adjustable means for raising or lowering said track means to registerthe door with the opening in said. face,means guiding said post means for movement at a fixed angle relative said track means, and a second adjustment means for varying said fixed angle whereby said door is adjustable to coincide with the plane of the face of the safe when in sealing position thereon, said post means automatically retaining its relative adjusted position when said track means is subsequently adjusted.

2. In a safe having an opening in one face thereof, a door adapted to close the opening in said face, door mounting means having hinge connections with said door, supporting and guiding means for said door mounting means on a wall of the safe adjacent the face thereof, said door mounting means being movable thereon-from a position adj acent said face to a position adjacent the rear Wall of the safe, said door being hingeable to the plane of said adjacent wall and movable rearwardly. with said door mounting means, means for adjusting said door moun ing means relative the plane of said face and cooperating means for raising or lowering said door mounting means, whereby said door is adjustable to register with the plane of said face when in closed position and also adjustable to register with the opening in said face. I V I 3. In a safe, having an opening in' one face thereof, track means mounted on the safe adjacent to said face along a side wall thereof, a door adapted to close the opening in said face, door mounting means supporting said door for hinging and travelling movement relative to and on said track means, means controlling movement of said door mounting means for retaining said means at a fixed angle relative to the plane of the face of the safe, said last-named means having parts operable to change the angular position of said door mounting means to the safe where- A by said door is adjustable to coincide with the plane of the face of the safe in closed position, and means adjustable to vary the relation of said door, door mounting means, and track means to raise and lower said door 5 relative to the safe for registering the door With the opening in said face.

4. In a safe, having an opening in one face thereof, a door for closing said opening, track means at a side of said safe adjacent said face, means mounting said track means on said safe operable to vary the angular relation of said track means to said safe, door mounting means movable on said tracli means and hingedly supporting said door,

715 means for guiding and normally retaining said door mounting means in fixed angular relation to said safe during movement on said track means, and adjustable means controlling operation of said last-mentioned means for changing the angular relation of said door to said safe, said adjustable means and means mounting said track means cooperating to secure the support'of said door by the other means mentioned above whereby the door Will register with the opening in said safe and have the marginal portions thereof engage the margins of the face of the safe around said opening in a uniform manner. 7

5. In a safe having an opening in one face thereof, a door for closing said opening, door mounting means hingedly supporting said door, guiding means for said door mounting means beside a Wall of the safe adjacent said face, said guiding means supporting said door mounting means for movement to and from a position adjacent the plane of the face of said safe, said door being hingeable to the plane of said adjacent Wall and movable rearvvardly with said door mounting means, means for normally retaining said door and door mounting means for movement in fixed angular relation with respect to the plane of the face of said safe, said last mentioned means being operable to change the angular relation between the door and the plane of said face for registering the door therewith, and cooperating means for changing the support of the door by said guiding means relative to said safe to change the position of the door With respect to the opening in said face whereby the dooris positioned in registry With said'opening both vertically and laterally by the aforementioned means. CHARLES SHULTE. 

